Erin is on the verge of becoming the Atlantic season’s first hurricane. The storm had winds of 70 mph early Friday, according to the National Hurricane Center. Category 1 hurricane wind speeds, which start at 74 mph, are predicted to soon develop.

Tropical Storm Erin is nearly at hurricane strength Thursday night, its western path putting islands in the far eastern Caribbean under tropical storm watches, according to the National Hurricane

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has warned that Tropical Storm Erin is expected to strengthen and could become a major hurricane over the weekend as it shifts just north of the northern Leeward Islands,